If a women fails to go into labor naturally, then her doctor often gives her a certain time period before he/she will induce labor. I treat many patients in this situation who want to encourage labor naturally and in many cases this can be achieved through acupuncture.

When encouraging labor to take place, I often will work with a patient’s midwives or doctor to understand what state her cervix is in: Is it softened or has it begun the dilation process? I also use the tongue and the pulse to understand the state of my patient’s body in order to understand what type of acupuncture treatment plan will be used to encourage labor.

In cases where a female does not have enough energy to go into labor, supplementing points are used to help nourish her. In other cases, there can be stagnation of energy and blood flow that can often times be due to stress. This is where acupuncture can help to move energy and blood flow to help bring labor on. In some cases, the cervix may be dilating slowly or may have stopped dilating altogether.

I first understand each particular case and then construct an acupuncture treatment plan to help the body ease into the labor process. Acupuncture works well to help dilate the cervix which is needed in order for labor to take place. Large Intestine 4, which is located on the web of the hand between the thumb and index finger, along with Spleen 6, which is located three inches above the inner ankle, help to encourage cervical ripening when used to gether. The cervix needs to be dilated in order for labor to take place. Other points I use are the Ba Liao Points, which are located on the sacrum. These points help to move and energy and blood stagnation in the uterus, which encourages labor.

When treating pregnant patients, I normally lay them on their sides so they are comfortable. The acupuncture needles are retained for about 30 minutes during the session. After the first session, I apply acupuncture “tacks” to certain points and tell my patient to press the tacks each hour to help support cervical ripening.

I normally recommend one to three acupuncture treatments as the average time to help bring on labor. Labor can take place anywhere between 10-48 hours post treatment. Acupuncture is a natural and effective way to help induce labor naturally.

“After being 7 days overdue with my first pregnancy, I decided to try acupuncture to induce labor and avoid the need to be medically induced in the hospital. Deb went out of her way to accommodate me at short notice. As always, her calm, confident demeanor helped me to relax. Immediately after my final treatment I started experiencing strong contractions, and they continued then increased when I got home. My beautiful daughter Kaia was born the next morning just as I had wanted, with no medical intervention. Thank you Deb, not only for your professional skill and expertise but also your kindness and reassuring manner. Based on my experience I would not hesitate to recommend Sage Wellness for labor induction.”– M.B., New Mom

If you want more information or have specific questions, please call our office at 917.763.8560 to schedule a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation.